Combination tail lamp



Oct. 5, 1926( 9.1.1. GODLE Y COMBINATION TAIL LAMP Filed June 13, 1924 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. -5 1926.

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lL ATEN CHARLES E. GODLEY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO EDMUNDSJONES CORi- PORATION, OF DETROIT, MICI-IIGAN, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

cor/imitation TAIL LAMP.

Application filed June 13, 1924. Serial No. 719,916.

My invention relates to compartmental lamps in which a separatelycontrolled source of light (such as an incandescent lamp) is employedfor each compartment,

and in its general aspects aims to provide features of constructionwhich will permit the use of unusually large lamp bulbs and lenses inproportion to the size of the compartments, which will lend itself tothe use of easily manufactured partitioning means and socketconstructions, and which will atford advantageous means for holding thetranslucent elements of the casing and the signal displaying stencil insecure and properly cushioned operative position.

Where lamps having separate sources of light in two compartments areemployed for such purposes as the affording of a'tail light and a stopsignal at the rear of an automobile, it is highly desirable to have theeasing of a relatively small size, this being advantageous both toreduce the cost and to avoid clumsiness of appearance. However, adequateroom must be provided for the ready insertion of the needed incandescentlaaip bulbs, and the insertion or removal of each lamp bulb shoulddesirably be permitted without detaching any portion of the lampexcepting the usual lens-carrying cover. On the other hand, aproportioning of the compartments with respect to the size of the lampswhich are to be inserted in them may not have these compartmentscorrespond to the desirable relative sizes and shapes of the lensvportions (or separate lenses) which are to be employed with them.

For example, in providing such an automobile lamp with'astop-signalportion disposed above the usual tail light indication, both of the lensportions can readily be displayed in an adequate size within a circularcover of relatively small diameter by making the lower. lens portion ofan oval shape and the upper one of an arcuate shape, with its lower edgecurved similarly to the contour of the upper portionof he oval lensportion. Such a relatively; long and narrow arcuate shape readily lendsitself to displaying a legend such as the word Stop even when of lessheight than the oval lens portion employed for the tail signal which iscontinuously lighted at night. "However, the effective displaying of thestop signal in such Close association with the continuously illuminatedtail indication demands a much more intense lighting of the stop signallens in order to have the latter attract due and immediate attention.Consequently, a lamp bulb of larger size and candle power than the oneemployed for the tail light portion of the lamp is desirable tor thestop signal indication, but such a larger size of lamp bulb cannotreadily be inserted in a-compartment corresponding in maximum height tothe height of such an arcuate stop lens portion.

In one of itsimportant aspects, my inven tion a ms to overcome thesedi'tficulties by providing a partitioning arrangement for the lamp whichwill permit the socketing portion for the larger lampbulb to be disposedon the opposite side of the partition 'f1'om the filament of that bulb,which will permit the attaching of the incandescent lamp from the sideof the partition on which the bulb is to be disposed, which will holdthe lamp bulb in rigid position transversely of the. partition, andwhich will prevent an overstraining of the contact member asso ciatedwith the axial terminal of the lamp bulb. It also provides a partitionconstruction which will enable the light from the lamp bulb at one sideof the partition to reach all of the outwardly exposed portions of alens extending beyond the general plane of the partition.

In another aspect, my invention provides a simple and effectivecushioning and mounting for the lens portions of such a lamp, includingsimple and effective means for holding the signal indicating stencilplate in position and for pressing this plate firmly against the back ofthe corresponding lens portion without employing any screws other thanthose required for fastening the lens-carrying cover to the body of thelamp. Furthermore, my invention provides a novel and effectivecushioning and supporting arrangement for the glass pane of a bottomWlIlClOW in the lamp through which light from the lamp bulb employedwith the tail signal can also illuminate the usual license plate. Myinvention also provides a novel lens formation for the bottom or licenseplate illuminating window pane of the lamp and employs lens-formingportions of this window pane both for retaining the latter 1n its normalposition, for p eventing the .will appear from the followingspecification and from the accompanying diawii'igs in wh1chv Fig. 1 1s acentral, vertical and longitudin al section through a combined stop andtail lamp embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same lamp taken from the mouth thereofwith the cover detached, certain portions being. broken awayto show, thearrangement employed for supporting and cushioning the glass windowthrough which light is directed towards the rear license plate asusually mounted below such a lamp. I

Fig. 3 is a central and vertical section throughthe cover as it appearswhen de tached from the lamp body.

Fig. 4C is a rear elevation of this cover as it appears when detachedfrom the lamp body.

Pg. 5 is a perspective view of the partitioning member of the lamp,showin' this with the shell of the lower socket alieady attached to it.

Fig. 6 is a front view of the metal cover portion alone.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged section taken transversely of the lamp through alower portion thereof to show the method of cushioning the lower glasswindow pane and the clamping of this pane by means of clips. I

Fig. 8 is an elevation of the packing member of the lamp front.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged central andvertical section through the lowersocket, showing the circuit connections.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken along the line 101O ofFig. 0 and showing the means for securing the lamp front to thepartitioning member.

Fig. 11' is'a sect-ion similar to Fig. 3 but showing the use of twoseparate lenses.

In one of its immediate commercial aspects, the lamp of my invention is'partic 'ularly adapted for use with rear lights for automobiles. I amtherefore illustrating and describing it'in such an embodiment, al-

though I do not wish to be limited to this particular employment of thenovel features here disclosed. In the illustrated embodi ment, the lampbody has a cylindrical wall 1 extending forwardly of the lamp (or to.-wards the mouth of the lamp body) from a fiat back2, which back carriesrearwardly projecting bolts 3 for attaching the lamp to any suitable suport. The cylindrical wall 1 has its forwar end enlarged to affordan vdirect the lamp front elements body is a parin th s embodiment on eachside tance towards has c p is l v as a "oerforalon 4.8 diameter slightll than that of e ual ise 8 of the incandescent m' b which iS tobe used.i 30 for lightingthe up er projecting light through the signal lens portion 9 infrontof this compartment. The lower partition-portion 7 alsohas a pair of downwardly directed wings 6 formed from pp. p st nehiailgc) duct cm 1.10 et: 8.5-

5 extending in compartment and for" at diametrio v ppo of theperforations 48., ea wi gs is pro-' adapted to en vided with a baronsgage one of the 1-. ing pins 11 on the base 8 of the r lamp-bulb. Bothof these bayonet s 5( have entrance openings at the top or VQr'Clpartition por tion 7 as shown in bi 5, but are closed downwardly so asto limit the downward movement of the l mp when this is being in- Iserted, thereby preventing the resilient contact arm 23 from beingoverstrained.

The partitioning member also includes a pair of lugs 1:2 havinperforations for receiving screws 13 by means of which the partitioningmember is secured to he back of the lamp body, and hasat its forwardedge a pair h ugs 1's provided with threaded perforations for receivingthe screws 38 by means of which the lamp front is secured to thepartition and thereby held in place with respect to the lamp body afterthe manner shown in Fig. 10.

As illustrated, the partitioning member also includes a downwardlydirected web 15- through the inner flange 19 is the metal shell 21 of alamp socket which is equipped at its rear end with bayonet slots 22 forreceiving a double pole connector plug which has'its' T two polesrespectively connected to circuit wires for the tail lamp 18 andthe'stop signal lamp 39. This socket is here shown as.

iso

constructed after the general manner shown in application No. 653,106,of Edward S- Preston as interconnected lamp sockets as filed July 23,192-3, namely with one connector plug terminal connected through acompressible conductin member 13 with the axial contact of the lowerlamp bulb 18, while the other plug terminal ll is connected through acompressible conducting member 19 with the lower end of a contact member23 which has a resilient upper end portion disposed for engaging theaxial contact ofthe upper lamp bulb, 39, the latter having the anchoringpins 11 on its base interlocked with the bayonet slots in the said lowerwings 10 on the partitioning member. For the lamp front member Idesirably provide a metal cover 50 having a flange 24 adapted to besleeved over the rim of the radial flange 4 at the mouth ofthe lampbody, this cover having an upper arcuate perforation, a lower ovalperforation and a pair of screw holes 25 adapted to aline with theperforations in the front attaching wings 1 1 ofthe partitioning member.Seated within this cover is a lens member. When both lens members are tobe of the same color, they may be formed of a single piece of suitablycolored glass having a lower oval lens portion 10 convexed forwardly andprojecting" through the lower oval perforation beyond the metal portionof the lamp front. and having an upper flat glass portion disposedbehindthe said arcuate perforation.

By disposing the upper or signal lens portic-n in an arcuate formationabove a lower oval lens portion, I can readily provide two such lensportions of adequate size in a cover of relatively small diameter, andby lowering the medial socket carrying part of the partition I'canemploy an upper lamp bulb of considerably greater length than thedistance from the top of the oval lens portion 10'to the top of the lampbody. However, such an arrangement disposes the lowered partitionportion 7 in a plane intersecting the oval lens portion and hence would,

prevent light rays of the lower lamp bulb from reaching the upperportionof this lens. To avoid this, I bow the partition portion 7 upwardly atits forward end to form a forwardly and upwardly flaring reflectorportion 26, thereby permitting light from the filament of the lamp 18 toreach the full effective height of the lower lens portion 10. Then'Ialso desirably shape the upper edge of this inclined reflector portion26 so that it corresponds substantially to the contour of the upperexposed portion of the oval lens 10, thereby causing this reflectorportion to redirect some of the light from the lamp 18 in asubstantially horizontal direction through the said lens, so as toincrease the and to compensate for the difference in the distance fromthe lamp to the upper and lower parts of this lens.

To hold the lower curved glass pane 17 effectively in position and toseal this window opening, I desirably provide a frame 27 of packingmaterial between the lower edge portions of this glass and the, adjacentwall of the casing. Then I bevel the two ends of this glass and holdboth the glass and the packing in effective position by means of a pairof metal clips 28, each of which is hold in position by a screw 29extending through the -cylindrical wall portion of the casing. Each ofthese clips has a main portion 28 extendin in the same general directionwith the adjacent portion of the easing, a holding finger 31 disposed atone end of this main portion andinclined to conform substantially to thebevel of the adjacent pane end, anda foot 30 at the other end of theclip for spacing the said main portion from the adjacent casing wall.Owing to the corresponding inclination of the end bevels and the fingerengaging these,

each finger exerts a cam action to draw the pane towards the adjacentcasing wall when the screw 29 is tightened, thereby firmly clamping thepacking 27 between the casing and the glass pane By providing littlelost play in the casing wall perforation through which each screw 29extends, I can readily cause the corresponding clip to ad I just itselfto any variation in the precise length of the glass window, therebyholding the latter firmly in its closure position without overstrainingit, and by keeping the clip clear of thepacking I clamp the latterinproper cushioning and sealing disposition between the glass pane andthe casing.

The'bottom pane 17 preferably has its central portion thickened andextending downwardly through the opening in the packing frame, and thelower face of this pane desirably .has a convexed cylindrical surface ofsmaller radius than the upper surface of this pane, thereby providing alens formation for concentrating the downward light from the lower lampbulb upon a license plate which is disposed below the lamp after theusual custom. This thickened central portion of the pane desirablycorresponds in width to the opening in the packing frame, so as toafford two walls engag ing the inner edges of the packing frame wvhichextend transversely of the lamp and hence preventing even a thin packingframe from being squeezed down into or through the said bottom openingwhen the lower window pane is clamped in position.

So also, the front edge of the thickened pane portion is disposed forengaging the front edge of the bottom opening in the casing to preventthe pane from being slid luminous efiect of the upper part of the lensforwardly. Consequently, since the down wardly extending part 15 of thepartitioning member has a flange 16 disposed. for engaging the rear edgeof the said pane, a forward thrust on this part 15 (such as may occurwhen a wire terminal plug is being inserted in the socket shell 22)cannot tick this part 15 out of its normal position. Hence I am able touse thin metal for the partitioning member without requiring auxiliarymeans for securing this lower part 15 to the back of the lamp casing.

To display the desired legend by means of the upper lamp portion Idesirably employ a metal stencil plate '32 having perforations '33formed therein to display the desired lettering. Then I fasten thisstencil plate to the front portion of the lamp this front is visible.

front 24 by a air of eyelets 35 which e'xtend successive y through thesaid metal front, the glass lens plate, the frontal packing member 35,and the stencil plate 32. With this in mind I provide a packing member34 in theform of a disk of cork or the like, having a pair ofperforations corre-' sponding to the perforations 'in the lampfrontthrough which the glass member of The portion of the stencil plate32 in which the letters 33 are punched is embossed forwardly of the lampso as to compensate for the thickness of the packing, thereby permittingthis portion to bear fiatwise against the back of the corresponding lensportion 9 so as to insure a sharp definition of the outlines of theletters.

In practice, a firm fastening of the tubular rivets 25 which aredisposed near the two lower corners of the stencil plate will tend totilt the upper end of the stencil plate -rearwa'rdly or inwardly of thelamp and hence would bring the perforated part of this plate away fromthe adjacent lens portion. To overcome this I provide the upper; portionof the stencil plate with a finger 36 projecting upwards sufficiently sothat it will be interposed between the cork packing 34 and the flange 4when the door is in position. With the stencil plate thus constructed,the securing of the lamp front to the body of the lamp'by means of thecover lioldi-ngscrews 38 will cause the stencil plate to be pressedforwardly into tight engagement with the corresponding portion 9 of theglass front of the lamp, and the resiliency of the stencil plate inresisting this forward flexing affords .a spring tension which preventsany jarring from loosening the cover holdin screws 38.

However, wlii e I have illustrated and de- I scribed the lamp of myinvention in an embodiment including various highly desirable featuresof construction and arrangement, I do not wish to be limited to these.Obviously, many changes might be made withoutdeparting either from thespirit of my reoaaao invention or from the appended claims, and

some of the novel features of my invention mightloe employed independentof others.-

1. In a lamp, a forwardly open casing, a front havlng a pa r of lensportions, a pair of lamp bulbs, means for supporting the lamp bulbswithin the casing respectively portion might be as shown.

back of the two lens portions, and a partition extending longitudinallyof the casing between the lamp. bulbs and having its main portion ina-p'la'ne intersecting oneof the said lens portions, the partitionhaving a forward portion bowed out of. the said plane to conformsubstantially to the adjacent peripheral part of the said intersectedlens portion so as to enlarge the casing compartment opposite the lastnamed lens portion.

2. In a lamp, a forwardly open casing, a

front having a pair of lens portions, a pair of lamp bulbs, means forsupporting the lamp bulbs within the casing respectively back of the twolens portions, and a partition extending longitudinally of-the casingbetween the lamp bulbs and having its main portion in a planeintersecting one of the said lens portions, the partition having aforward portion bowed out of the said plane to conform substantially tothe adjacent peripheral part of the said intersected lens portion so as.to enlarge the casing compartment opposite the last named lens portion,the

said bowed portion of the partition being inclined forwardly of the lampso as to defleet rays of light from the lamp bulb opposite the saidintersected lens portion through this lens portion.

3. In alamp, a forwardly front having a lower lens portion of upwardlyconvexed upper contour and an upper lensportion above the aforesaid lensportion, and a partition having the major part of its longitudinalmedial portion in a 'SjllIfflCG intersecting-the said upper contour ofthe lower lens, the partition having the forward part of its said medialportion arched upwardly to correspond substantially to the intersectedlens contour portion.

l open casing, a

4. In a lamp, a forwardly open casing, a front having a lower-lensportion of up wardly convexed upper contour and an upper lens portionabove the aforesaid lens portion, and a partition having the major,

. gitudinal of the lamp.

5. In a lamp, a forwardly open casing, a lamp front having upper andlower lens portions, a partition extending longitudinally of the lamp todivide thelatter into two compartments respectivel opposite-the two lensportions, a lamp bu b mounted in the lower compartment, and a secondlamp bulb having its base supported by the partition and its-filamentdisposed in the upper compartment,-the lamp-base-supporting part of thepartition being depressed below the top of the lower lens to permit theinsertion of a relatively tall lamp bulb into the upper compartment, thepartition having the part forwardly of its said lamp-base supportingportion bowed upwardly to present the entire height of the lower lensopposite the lower compartment.

6. In a lamp having a forwardly open casing divided by a partition intoupper and lower compartments, a substantially central depression in thepartition, a lamp-socket having its shell projecting downwardly from thecentral depressed part of the partition and providedwith means forreceiving the base of a lamp bulb inserted into the upper compartment ofthe lamp, thesaid depression of the partition and the down warddisposition of the socket cooperating to permit the use of a relativelytall lamp bulb in the upper compartment.

7 In a lamp having a forwardly open cast ing divided by a partition intoupper and lower compartments, a substantially central depression in thepartition, a lamp-socket.

having its shell projecting. downwardl from the central depressed partof the part1- tion and provided with means for receiving the base of alamp bulb inserted into the upper compartment of the lamp, the saiddepression of the partition and the downward disposition of the socketcooperating to per .mit the use of a relatively tall lamp bulb in theupper compartment, the artition having the forward part of its epressed-portion inclined upwardly toward the front of thelamp to increase theeffective height of the lower compartment forwardly of the said socket.

CHARLES E. GODLEY.

Signed at Detroit, Michigan, June 12,

